PvP 101

[skylt]

Now that PvP is officially a part of the game, it is prudent to look forward to those actions that we can expect to see in game. They probably will be variations of PvP play acted out in other related MMOs.

For those new to this form of play, I pass on these observations learned in other MMOs that have included PvP. This is neither criticism , nor advocacy, but merely my observations.

The main concern of a PvPer is "GETTING THE EDGE". As Vince Lombardi is quoted as saying, "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing!"

1) Get better equipment - this requires control of resources, and access to top crafters. Large active guilds have the advantage here in both aspects.

2) Develop a better character build - focus the character primarily for PvP. All non related skills are avoided until after this is accomplished.

3) Develop better keyboard responses - set up the keyboard and shortcut bars for fast finger twitching. Develop good attack sequences (actions), and sequence alternatives. Speed and reaction time are critical. A hefty amount of caffiene also helps.

4) Better game hacks - This is cheating! But PvPing attracts cheating, so don't be surprised when it happens. This may involve or modify run speed, attack speed, porting when losing, invulnerability to attacks, invisibility, or extra damage attacks.

5) Dominate with group size - larger groups usually wipe the floor with smaller groups. The defense to this is to raise an even bigger group. The trend continues until it becomes zerg wars.

6) Pick on the weak - Griefing!! This is very popular in PvP. Find the solitary player. Identify the lower level players. Pick on small groups.

7) Pick on the distracted - attack those in combat, whether with another PvPer or with a Mob. Attack from the rear does double damage. Attack harvesters while they are actually in the harvesting cycle and concentrating. Portal camp if possible, to attack before the emerging player can defend himself.

8) Soften up the enemy - First train Mobs on them, then kill the survivors before they can heal and rejuvinate.

9) Better terrain knowledge - learn the area; high ground, choke points, Mob positions and travel paths, Mob spawn points, unseen pathing blocks

10) Better strategy - routes of travel, character roles, stages of attack, positioning, communication, escape routes, Mob diversions

11) Smack talk - Belittle and enrage the enemy. Push them into making mistakes. Make them apprehensive. Cause a hesitation. Talk smack before, during, and after the fight. Use the message boards to publicize it. Defeat the enemy in his mind, and he has lost already.

12) Take advantage of game bugs - these are better than hacks, because you cant be banded for using them. There will always be bugs, and new ones will arise when old ones are fixed.

13) Time raids for enemy weakness - off hours have less players, so time your raid when they are least present.

14) Know your enemy - run alternate characters so that they can be invited into the opposing guild. Use your friends in opposing guilds to ferret out information.

15) Loose lips sink ships - keep your plans closely guarded, on a need to know basis.

These are only a summary of some of what we can expect to see. I list them so that the uninitiated can be at least aware of what will be going on. Feel free to add those that I missed.

Which of the listed should actually be used? Which are intelligent? Which are despicable? That is for the individual to choose for himself, and for Nevrax to take a position on as they occur.

As for myself, I will pay attention to how PvP is implemented by Nevrax, and how it is acted out by the players.

Skylt

[zumwalt]

OR you can forget that entire list of actions and just choose NEUTRAL if your prompted (as long as they still give us the option like they did in the ATS)

Provided this gets implamented the way it existed on ATS you should have 3 options, Neutral, Kami, and Karavan.

I am presuming Neutral is non-aggresive state and not involved, although I could be presuming to much at this point.

[zzeii]

OR you can forget that entire list of actions and just choose NEUTRAL if your prompted (as long as they still give us the option like they did in the ATS)

Provided this gets implamented the way it existed on ATS you should have 3 options, Neutral, Kami, and Karavan.

I am presuming Neutral is non-aggresive state and not involved, although I could be presuming to much at this point.

To my knowledge/experience for pvp in 'faction based pvp' neutrals can not initiate attacks, but can be attacked and then defend retailiate to those attackers

the group/guild pvp that, to my understanding, is being implimented is pretty much ffa in the roots. I could be wrong, but this is just my gandering from experiences on ats. will let ya know further when I get on.

[raynes]

Or you can just stay out of the Nexus and Lands of Umbra and avoid the whole thing.

[zumwalt]

we are the harvestors Raynes, that people are demanding high mats from, so we can't stay out of those areas for the simple reason of the good mats

its a catch 22

you want good stuff, we need the materials, you kill us, you get no good stuff

[helbreat]

we are the harvestors Raynes, that people are demanding high mats from, so we can't stay out of those areas for the simple reason of the good mats

its a catch 22

you want good stuff, we need the materials, you kill us, you get no good stuff

lol well put the mats are the rewards the death of the harvesters will be the end of good mats/weapons/armour for people who kill them

with the right mats i have been making 52 speed daggers and 34 speed 1 handed weapons i just hope people will leave harvesters to there thing if there harvesting...

obviously if a guy is running at you from 250m with heavy armour on and a weapon in hand i suspect hes not harvesting lock and load the amps for maximum defences

[zzeii]

we are the harvestors Raynes, that people are demanding high mats from, so we can't stay out of those areas for the simple reason of the good mats

its a catch 22

you want good stuff, we need the materials, you kill us, you get no good stuff

There is always the wastelands, underspring and abyss of ichor for non-pvp harvesting.

[helbreat]

There is always the wastelands, underspring and abyss of ichor for non-pvp harvesting.

there certainly is but for people who only play a few hours a day making journys to these places will probably be impossible unless there town has direct access to these places

[zumwalt]

Something I never tested on ATS, and hopefully someone can enighten me here, are packers PvP killable?

(I am hoping the answer to that question is NO)

[yuritau]

12) Take advantage of game bugs - these are better than hacks, because you cant be banded for using them. There will always be bugs, and new ones will arise when old ones are fixed.

Just wanted to point out to the mysteriously un-informed.. The bolded text is, in fact, wrong. If you go digging through the EULA we all agree to every time we log in, somewhere in the bowels of it you'll find a clause that, once translated from lawyer babble to english, says "If you find a bug, and rather than reporting it, decide to exploit it, we can, if we so choose, spank you. We even get to use the spiked paddle if we really want to. so there."

I'm not gonna go find it for you, but I'd be VERY surprised if it wasn't in there. The unfortunate thing, however, is they often choose NOT to punish people found exploiting bugs, and instead issue a warning that no one remembers five minutes later. If they even bother doing that much. So people always exploit the bugs anyways, and get away with it.

But you CAN be banned.. if it's something that gets they're attention enough to make them want to do it.